Diarrhoea could be heart attack warning, doctors in Thailand discover

[webfact]

 

A sudden case of acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, presented in a 50 year old businessman with persistent diarrhoea, shocked the medical community. The individual, who had been suffering from diarrhoea for three consecutive days without seeing any improvement after medication, was diagnosed with the condition after a hospital visit for emergency treatment.

 

Dr Xie Tunren, a gastroenterologist and hepatologist, explained that the patient travelled for business to Taiyuan, where he experienced continuous diarrhoea for three days. Despite taking medication, the condition worsened, prompting a visit to the hospital.

 

The doctors, alarmed by the deteriorating symptoms, suspected an underlying abnormality in the body which led to the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction after further examination.

Dr Xie Tunren elucidated that certain parts of the heart muscle dying could manifest as diarrhoea.

 

The reason for this is the connection between the blood vessels in the right chamber of the heart and the lungs through some automatic nerves, particularly the parasympathetic nerves.

 

When stimulated, these nerves cause continuous diarrhoea. The patient was fortunate that cardiologists promptly treated him, leading to his recovery.

 

by Nattapong Westwood

Photo: Freepik.

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-10-16

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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[retarius]

If true, I wonder why this has not been seen/noticed before. Obviously, concurrence is not necessarily causative.

[ukrules]

Ok, but did he not feel any other symptoms of heart attack?

 

Like chest pain, arm pain, etc, etc.

[brianthainess]

Oh Sh**t 

[shipwrecked]

In that case I have had about half a dozen heart attack warnings this week. Gotta change my diet and stop getting these heart attack warnings.

[Mike Lister]

7 minutes ago, retarius said:

If true, I wonder why this has not been seen/noticed before. Obviously, concurrence is not necessarily causative.

I don't believe it is suggesting the diarrhea is causative. I believe it is saying the heart attack was asymptomatic other than the diarrhea, caused by the nerve that connects the dying heart tissue..

 

[circa02]

It should be illegal to tell Thai's things like this, if they've got enough money they will just over-react especially the women. The hub of hypochondriacs.

[dinsdale]

It would be interesting to know if he had recently been vaccinated with a covid jab. The runs might have been coincidental.

[Peabody]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

...and the lungs through some automatic nerves...

Autonomic??

[VocalNeal]

What about heart attack victims in India ????

[dinsdale]

2 hours ago, Mike Lister said:

I don't believe it is suggesting the diarrhea is causative. I believe it is saying the heart attack was asymptomatic other than the diarrhea, caused by the nerve that connects the dying heart tissue..

 

A heart attack by it's very nature is symptomatic.

[Mike Lister]

4 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

A heart attack by it's very nature is symptomatic.

Not so, "Some people have no symptoms".

 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-attack/symptoms-causes/syc-20373106

[hotchilli]

16 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Oh Sh**t 

I think I'm having a heart attack

[Tarteso]

Die on a toilet..like Elvis? ????

Edited October 17, 2023 by Tarteso

[This Guy]

Longish post sorry, but may be of some use to members.
This is unbelievable timing!
I was discharged from hospital on 4th of October after having this exact problem!
I had bad diarrhea from 25th Sept until 29th when I went to emergency due to excessive sweating (bed was like someone had poured a bucket of water over me) cramps and the diarrhea continuing.
In emergency, they took some blood and the results came back as a bacterial infection but ALSO they had detected that the enzyme levels indicated I had had an infarction. I was surprised as I had no chest pain or other symptoms of heart failure.
(I had a major heart attack in 2009 and a minor cardiac episode last year with NO symptoms other than extreme fatigue. Other than that have been relatively healthy since.)
They insisted I had had a cardiac episode and admitted me to the cardiac intervention ward.
I kept asking if the severe dehydration and electrolyte depletion could have caused my enzyme levels to spike and give the indications in the blood test. The answer each time was no despite my enzyme level dropping back down rapidly.
During the 5 days in there, I was treated both for the bacterial infection AND congestive heart failure.
Finally on the 2nd to last day in hospital, a cardiac specialist who spoke outstanding English came to see me and when I again asked if the dehydration could cause a spike in cardiac enzymes he told me it WAS possible but rare.

He advised me to finish the treatment in hospital -Twice daily injections into my abdomen for my heart (not sure of the medication name) and that he would change my medications.
I was discharged on the 4th of this month, with new medications for the CHF and no diarrhea, I have been fine since with absolutely no symptoms of anything.
After reading the article here, I can tell you all that:
1. If you have acute diarrhea (I was on the toilet up to 12 or more times in every 24 hours) for more than 2 days get to hospital and have them run some blood tests.
2. Yes, you can have a heart episode with NO symptoms.
Wishing everyone the best of health.
 

Edited October 17, 2023 by This Guy

[RobU]

5 hours ago, Tarteso said:

Die on a toilet..like Elvis? ????

I my experience as a former nurse there have been many cases in the UK of people (mostly men) who have no heart attack symptoms but a desperate need to go to toilet and are found in unconscious or dead. However I wasn't aware of this link

[Burma Bill]

21 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

What about heart attack victims in India ????

Yes indeed, especially those with Bombay Belly!

[RobU]

5 hours ago, This Guy said:

Longish post sorry, but may be of some use to members.
This is unbelievable timing!
I was discharged from hospital on 4th of October after having this exact problem!
I had bad diarrhea from 25th Sept until 29th when I went to emergency due to excessive sweating (bed was like someone had poured a bucket of water over me) cramps and the diarrhea continuing.
In emergency, they took some blood and the results came back as a bacterial infection but ALSO they had detected that the enzyme levels indicated I had had an infarction. I was surprised as I had no chest pain or other symptoms of heart failure.
(I had a major heart attack in 2009 and a minor cardiac episode last year with NO symptoms other than extreme fatigue. Other than that have been relatively healthy since.)
They insisted I had had a cardiac episode and admitted me to the cardiac intervention ward.
I kept asking if the severe dehydration and electrolyte depletion could have caused my enzyme levels to spike and give the indications in the blood test. The answer each time was no despite my enzyme level dropping back down rapidly.
During the 5 days in there, I was treated both for the bacterial infection AND congestive heart failure.
Finally on the 2nd to last day in hospital, a cardiac specialist who spoke outstanding English came to see me and when I again asked if the dehydration could cause a spike in cardiac enzymes he told me it WAS possible but rare.

He advised me to finish the treatment in hospital -Twice daily injections into my abdomen for my heart (not sure of the medication name) and that he would change my medications.
I was discharged on the 4th of this month, with new medications for the CHF and no diarrhea, I have been fine since with absolutely no symptoms of anything.
After reading the article here, I can tell you all that:
1. If you have acute diarrhea (I was on the toilet up to 12 or more times in every 24 hours) for more than 2 days get to hospital and have them run some blood tests.
2. Yes, you can have a heart episode with NO symptoms.
Wishing everyone the best of health.
 

In my experience as a former UK nurse. There have been many cases of patients desperate for the toilet who are found dead or unconscious following a heart attack. It was obvious there was a link but this is the first time it has been explained. I think you're very correct about low electrolytes, remember that medicine is big business and some medics are greedy for your money. A simple preventative solution such as drinking an electrolyte solution (you will be able to buy packets of electrolyte powder which you dissolve in a  glass of water)

[DJ54]

Crappy food 555

[Rimmer]

A post and replies contravening our Community Standards has been removed.    

[observer90210]

Sad to see many retirees, expats in Thailand who do not seem to care of their healt. Excess drink, smoking, somtimes drugs and  overeating outside as food is cheap but very oily or with sugar based additives. Such a lifestyle is a one way ticket to excess cholesterol, heart issues and a vip entry to the grave.

 

Enjoy life by all means, but try to ban tobacco and booze or at worse drastically reduce consomption. Not to mention the biggest enemy that is overeating heavy food in restaurants. The rest is up to you if you want to live long enjoy Asia or not....

[observer90210]

Sad to see many retirees, expats in Thailand who do not seem to care of their health. Excess drinking, smoking, somtimes drugs or overeating daily outside,  as food is cheap but very oily or with sugar based additives. Such a lifestyle is a one way ticket to excess cholesterol, leading to digestive and heart issues and a vip entry to the grave.

 

Enjoy life by all means, but try to ban tobacco and booze or at worse drastically reduce consomption. Not to mention the biggest enemy that is overeating heavy food in restaurants. The rest is up to you if you want to live long enjoy Asia or not....

[richard_smith237]

Its true...  my Son had the trotts a few months back...  horrendous, I nearly had a heart attack !!! 

[Chris Daley]

lol Thai doctors.  So cute.

[wwest5829]

On 10/16/2023 at 1:44 PM, ukrules said:

Ok, but did he not feel any other symptoms of heart attack?

 

Like chest pain, arm pain, etc, etc.

Impending heart attack in 2005. 1st day -indigestion (did not go away the next day ... hmm, maybe acid reflux?), 2nd day - shortness of breath climbing stairs, 3rd day - cold sweat while just walking on level floor. OK, da ... call the Doctor saying I need an appt. He asks what's up? I explained, his reply ... hospital NOW. I was feeling fine so I drove myself to the hospital where he met me in the Emergency Room ... Next Day 5 by-passes. no pain at all, so it can vary with individual, I'm thinking. oh, heart attack 2015 (by-pass scar tissue narrowed blood vessels). Again, no pain, I just sensed impending serious body issue so off the the hospital (stent & 2 angioplasties).